The Great Divide
by Naruto12Kyuubi
Summary: Naruto/Hinata are sent on a simple recon mission. But it goes horribly wrong. Naruto blames himself for the loss and falls into depression. Months later Konaha gets news that Hinata has been sighted in Cloud village. He jumps at the chance to find her. On hiatus.


The Great Divide

Prologue

Gray clouds covered the sky, darkening the forest ever more, emitting an ominous and gloomy overcast. Perfect conditions for rouge ninja to share and trade information, unfortunately for them it had the same effect for an reconnaissance mission as well. Konaha had caught wind of this two weeks prier and immediately dispatched jonin to asses the situation, but none came back with relevant information. . .or didn't come back at all, gone without a trace.

Yet despite all dangers, two brave shinobi of Konaha took on the mission. Well, one nagged at the Hokage that he was receiving too many easy missions until she finally broke down and gave him something more grueling, while the other walked in at the wrong time and herself in the middle of Tsunade's fury and got assigned to the mission as well. Not that she complained. She was more then happy she was going with him on a mission; it was the fact of her uneasiness around him which was going to make it difficult.

A crack of thunder ripped through the sky followed by a gentle drizzle.

"Naruto-kun, maybe we should find shelter, it might turn into a rainstorm." Forming the proper hand sign, she activated her byakugan, surveying the vicinity for any means of shelter, but came up empty. She looked down disappointed. Of course, news that they had to call it quits caused Naruto to growl with impatience. He was desperately hoping to find anything at this point.

"I can't believe we haven't found anything," he seethed , "its been two weeks!" He looked towards Hinata; she was looking face down. It seemed as if she couldn't face to look him in the eyes.. Guilt took over his thinking, and despite his frustration, he managed to talk himself into assisting her.

With a weak smile he said, "Come on, Hinata. I really don't want to get wet." That caught her attention. She looked intently into his eyes, there were filled with sorrow and apprehension, then took an interest into her feet looking down once more. That shook him, this was the same girl that always had a smile on her face, that was always so sweet. He moved towards her and when he reached her put both his hands on her shoulders.

Her head shot straight up, and they stared straight into each others eyes. They stood there in uncomfortable silence for what seemed like eternity._ Her eyes_,_ there so_. . ._so what? Beautiful? _He shook his head mentally, what was he thinking. They were just friends. He dug the thought deep within himself.

"Don't worry Hinata," he said warmly, "we'll finish this mission successfully, together. . .I promise."

That got the effect he was hoping for, a smile formed on her lips. She opened her mouth as if to say one thing, but blushed, and said something different.

"Domo, Naruto-kun. You're right, we can do this. . .t-together."

A goofy grin formed on his face.

"There's the Hinata I know. Those rouge nin better watch out! Because here comes the Naru/Hina team ready to kick ass!"

For added effect he pumped his fist into the air. That got a giggle out of Hinata, and seemed to boost her confidence. The two ninja then walked on to see if they could find shelter that Hinata's byakugan couldn't. They knew at least an hour had passed before they found a cave located only sixteen feet away from a cliff.

To the left of the cave opening was the miles of forest they just came out of. To the right of the cave was the cliff. Looking straight out of the cave was just more forest. They both sprinted to the cave too avoid getting caught in the storm that was soon to come. Soon as they entered the cave, as if on cue, the drizzle turned into a downpour.

Visibility was down to zero; nothing within five feet of them could be seen. All audible sound around them was drowned out by the thunderous pounding of rain. Inside the cave Naruto and Hinata were drying off as best they could. _One more week, _he thought_, one more week until we have to pull out. _A sigh escaped the blonde's lips. _One more week to get information on Sasuke._

Busy with their ordeals, both shinobi were unaware of a dark shadowy figure watching their every move with an unimaginable amount of hatred flowing through him. He had been shadowing them since they entered the vicinity of his base just waiting for them to slip up and make a fatal mistake.

He just crouched on a branch, not even flinching when the needle like rain constantly hit him. The moment they set foot in the cave, they doomed their selves. Prior to their discovery of the cave, he had sent out a clone to cover the field surrounding the cave with paper bombs, hidden by the lush grass. Anticipating that they'd come this way was a huge gamble, but it payed off.

Now all he had to do was wait out the storm. The storm itself took till dawn to die out. In the eight hour period he was in that tree he never once flinched. But he'd probably have to wait several more hours till they stepped out the cave. He was suddenly violently rocked, had he not have reacted quickly and took hold of a branch above him, he would have fallen.

He turned around and through the brush of the tree he saw a huge plume of smoke in the air. Twenty meters away an explosion had gone off. Why it did was a mystery to him. He turned back to the field to realize that he wasn't the only one who herd and felt it. The two leaf shinobi were right in the middle of the field with confusion clearly on their faces.

His features turned into evil smirk. _Oh well, not the way I planed, but. . ._He quickly reached into his pouch and pulled out the detonator.

"This should teach those Konaha bastards not to meddle in business that's not theirs!" He whispered with venom.

The moment his finger came into contact with the button he vanished.

One moment he was just trying to identify the origin of the boom, the next thing he knew both him and Hinata were suddenly caught right in the middle of a mine field. His sense told him to jump immediately. If he had waited tow more seconds he would have been obliterated right on the spot. Still dodging for his life, he turned his head to spot Hinata still alive doing the same as he. The worry that stricken him managed to go down just a touch.

The explosions around them slowly started to come less and less as opposed as to how it started. But he had hoped to soon, An explosion managed to catch him off guard and sent him flying into the forest. The last thing he herd was a scream from Hinata.

"Naruto-kun!"

He landed with a sickening thud which left him dazed. Alive but dazed. Hinata wasn't as lucky as Naruto was. She was sent flying as well, but the force of the blast sent her towards the cliff, and she went down. Luck was somehow on her side, because she found a sizable rock on the wall of the cliff and clung to it for her life.

With what strength she had left she called out for Naruto frantically.

"Naruto-kun, were are you? Please help. . .I-I'm slipping!"

She had know way of knowing if he had survived, but she held on to the idea that he did. He couldn't be dead. Not when she never got a chance to tell him how she felt. That thought gave her some strength to try to pull herself up, but it was useless, she was slowly losing her grip.

"Naruto!" She screamed out.

He herd her voice come to him in echo's. _Am I dead? _He tried to look around, but all he could see was darkness. He herd her call to him again. There was fear and distress in her voice. _Hinata?. . .Where?. . ._That's when he finally realized he was laying face down on the ground. He slowly picked himself off the forest floor.

"I'm slipping. . .Please help me! Anyone!"

_Slipping? But how would she be. . .The cliff! _He bolted straight for the cliff and found her clinging for dear life to a rock sticking straight out from the wall of the cliff.

"Hinata, hurry, take my hand!" He instructed her.

Without a moments hesitation she outstretched her hand and took hold of his. But something was wrong. She was still slipping. Whatever it was that was on the rocks was now on her hands.

"I'll pull you up," he said with the tiniest bit of apprehension, " there's still time Hinata."

He was lying through his teeth, and she knew it. Confidence took over her fear and with her last breath she told Naruto those three words.

"I-I love you, Naruto-kun!"

Shock enveloped him for several seconds. Within those seconds, memories of him and her flashed through his head. It filled him with guilt that he never noticed and never gave her a chance. Without a chance to react to try and pull her up, she slipped through his fingers and fell into the darkness.

"NOOOOOOOO, HINATAAAA!"


End file.
